Boyfriend arrested for murders of woman, 2 kids

Joseph Randolph Mays, 44, was arrested for the murders of Erika Peters, 37, and her two young sons. Police are not releasing the identities of the boys because they are juveniles. Local media outlets say the boys were between the ages of six and 12.

D.C. police describe the case as a domestic dispute and Peter's father tells WTOP that Mays was his daughter's live-in boyfriend.

Police were called to the Carver Terrace Apartments in the 2000 block of Maryland Avenue early Saturday afternoon. Inside the apartment, police found four people who had been stabbed.

Police say Peters and one boy were dead at the scene. The second young victim was taken to a local hospital where he was later pronounced dead.

Police say Mays was found inside the apartment suffering from non-life threatening injuries. He was taken into police custody and treated at the hospital.

A third child was found unharmed and is now being cared for by Child Protective Services.

The homicide remains under investigation and anyone who has information about the case should call police at (202) 727-9099 or 1-888-919-2746.

Cathy Lanier, D.C. police chief, tells WTOP that many cases of domestic violence can not be prevented.

"Obviously, with domestic (violence) its completely unpredictable," she says. "I don't know of anybody who can actually identify or prevent a case like this. It's very difficult for us."

(Copyright 2009 by WTOP. All rights reserved.)